Former Vuelta a Espana winner Simon Yates has been crowned the 2020 Tirreno-Adriatico champion following the final stage time trial in San Benedetto del Tronto.
Yates entered the final 10km time trial with a 16-second advantage, before putting in a strong ride to secure the overall title, the second stage race victory of his career.
One for the specialists:
The 10km flat course was perfectly built for the strong time trial specialists, with Filippo Ganna (INEOS Grenadiers) a class above the rest, finishing in a time of 10minutes 42seconds.
The Italian was 18seconds faster than his closest rival, Victor Campenaerts (NTT Pro Cycling), with world champion Rohan Dennis (INEOS Grenadiers) 26seconds adrift.
GC battle:
Having led the race since his stage five victory, Yates began the final stage time trial dressed in blue, with a 16-second advantage from Rafal Majka (BORA-hansgrohe) and 39seconds from Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers).
The 28-year-old maintained touch through the first intermediate checkpoint before stopping the clock in a time of 11minutes 32seconds, 22seconds slower than Thomas who moved up into second overall. Losing 13seconds to Yates, Majka dropped down a position to settle for third overall.
Strong week for Mitchelton-SCOTT:
Yates’ overall victory wraps up a hugely successful 2020 Tirreno-Adriatico, with the Australian outfit also walking away two stage wins courtesy of Lucas Hamilton (stage 4) and Yates (Stage 5).
Simon Yates:
“I am really happy, it’s my only stage race win outside the Vuelta and I’m just happy I could finish off the job of the team who did a fantastic job all week and today it was up to me.
“I had time gap updates, but I was still going full gas. You never know until the last moment so I just tried to go to the maximum possible and I’m happy I could pull it off.
“I was really happy with the stage win, but to take the overall is really fantastic.
“I lost Tour de Romandie in a final time trial, so I really didn’t want to do the same again today so it was just full gas.”
Gene Bates – Sport Director:
“It doesn’t get much better than this week. We came into the race with high expectations, we were chasing stage wins and the overall, which we achieved both, so we can walk away very content, and satisfied with where the team is at, especially leading into the Giro d’Italia.”
2020 Tirreno Adriatico – Stage 8 Results:
1. Filippo Ganna (INEOS Grenadiers) 10:42
2. Victor Campernaerts (NTT Pro Cycling) +0:18
3. Rohan Dennis (INEOS Grenadiers) +0:26
18. Simon Yates (Mitchelton-SCOTT) +0:50
2020 Tirreno Adriatico – FINAL General Classification:
1. Simon Yates (Mitchelton-SCOTT) 32:07:34
2. Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers) +0:17
3. Rafal Majka (BORA – Hansgrohe) +0:29
